Why move more?

Tonight was "Holy Roller Night" with Northside. For the past 3 years on the 4th Sunday in October, we go to the skating rink and have an outreach. It's one of my favorite nights of the year. It's a great time of having fun, hanging out with people, introducing some new people to our church and burning a lot of calories! At left, you'll see Savanna enjoying the night. (And there's another pic below of us in the arcade at the skating rink tonight.) We always do games and contests. Savanna won for speed skating for her age, and Jordan for his. I always worry about Jordan - I hold my breath til the race is over and he's come through it with no accidents. :-)

I haven't posted anything about fitness this week, so here goes. I'm absolutely committed to being as fit as I can be. Please don't think I have this accomplished yet. It's an everyday journey that I've been on for three years now. As Pastor Lisa says, I'm absolutely committed to "living well."


This past week, my Weight Watcher leader taught about the reasons for "moving more." She listed the following reasons:

1) When you move more you will have increased calories burned when resting.

2) If you move more it decreases body fat.

3) If you move more it improves your self confidence.

4) If you move more it results in fewer health problems.

5) If you move more it can provide stress relief.

I have found all of these things and more to be true. Some things I have noticed personally regarding these things are ~

Working out affects you not only right afterwards but all through the day/night/week. You'll feel the results all the time when you start to do it.

Not only does it decrease body fat but it helps to shape you. If you don't move more but you just watch what you eat, you lose weight but you still have the same "shape" problems you had before. For instance, if you've always had big arms, your arms (although having gotten smaller through weight loss) will still be a "problem area". For instance, my legs tend to be my asset, and when I work out they only get better. I get on the elliptical to maximize this best feature. My stomach, and back tend to be my problem areas and my worst features. If I lose weight my stomach and back will get smaller but still be an issue somewhat so I have to work those spots more. I have learned they will probably never be just as I would dream of them being, but the point is, I can make them better and get them more in the "shape" I want them in by moving more to work on target those areas.

The first time I lost all my weight years ago I was just shocked that my stomach and back weren't just perfect. I thought, "I've lost all this weight but I'm still unhappy with the way I look underneath it all..." I learned EXERCISE IS THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE THAT BETTER. And my personal feeling is this...if you are going to work hard to lose all this weight, don't you want to achieve more than just a number on a scale? I do...I want to be happy with the way I am with no clothes on! So that's something I work toward. I have talked to a lot of skinny people who tell me they might be 105 pounds however underneath they are all jiggly and out of shape. The fact is, you can be thin and very out of shape. So moving more helps with that. By the way, it's not about being at 105 (in fact, I'll never be that - it would be very unhealthy for me!) but it's about fitness and health.

As far as increasing self confidence...absolutely! Moving more helps with that. The reason it increases self confidence for me is that I am not only happy getting on the scale at WW or wearing a new outfit to church, but I'm comfortable in my bedroom at home with nothing on or when I'm getting in the shower, or standing in front of the mirror. A big key is, are you comfortable with yourself? It's not even all about what your husband thinks, or what anyone thinks. First you've got to do this for you. It's between you and God. Moving more gives you greater confidence when you are getting dressed or undressed all by yourself, trying clothes on at the store, and letting go of your habit of cringing when you see yourself naked or in your underwear in a mirror!

Having fewer health problems? Oh yes! Did you know that losing just 10 lbs. takes 30 lbs. of pressure off your knees? Amazing. Think about it, what does your average toddler weigh? 30 lbs. or so...or less? Well, I've lost 30 lbs. Basically when I was overweight it was like I was carrying a toddler around all day long. Some people have to lose 50 lbs or 100 lbs or more. Now, can you imagine carrying a load of 100 lbs extra around with you all day? If you are, no wonder you can't walk without getting winded! The load is too great. Just think of how amazing it is what you have been going through each day in carrying all that around. But it's time for a change, because God never meant for you to carry that load. Just 30 minutes of moving a day greatly reduces your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes. Moving more is so worth it. You will start dreading your yearly physical a lot less and perhaps you will make the appointment for the first time in years because you won't be so afraid. At this point, after losing my weight - I have gone for a yearly complete physical the past three years, as well as my annual GYN appt., plus other stuff such as a yearly blood workup (the thing I hate most...I hate needles, mammograms, and even the dreaded colonoscopy. (Get it done if you're due to have one ladies - it's only once every 10 years and it can save your life.)

Back to moving more... stress relief? Perhaps this is my greatest benefit that I find. Moving more helps me deal with anger and depression more than anything else. Combine moving more with reading God's Word and prayer and it's an unbeatable combo. Sometimes I am too angry to settle down and read God's Word. I can't even see straight I'm so out of sorts. My whole outlook changes if I go for a 30 minute fitness walk, or get on the elliptical. Once I work it out, come home and take a shower - I am now relaxed to open God's Word and talk to Him for a little while. Rest comes easier. Sleep comes quicker and is more uninterrupted. I am nicer to my family when I exercise. (Truly I am...I am just simply not as "wound up" with day to day pressures when I let off the steam by working out.)

I find that if I do not do the elliptical machine, it is difficult to get my lower body in the shape I want to work toward. For this reason I try to do 30 minutes on the elliptical on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. On the other days (except for Sunday) I choose whatever else strikes my mood ~ fitness walking outside, riding my bicycle, doing "Walk off the Pounds" DVD's by Leslie Sansone, doing some things off of the Weight Watcher fitness website links (they have many choices on there), and over the past three years I've tried many other options, just checking them out ~ everything from kickboxing, Zumba classes, hip hop, pilates and other stuff I probably shouldn't detail on my blog if I want to keep my A/G credentials although it's perfectly legal and God's real happy about it as well. :-)

When do I find time? This is what most people ask. The fact is you have to make the time. Sometimes I do it before work, sometimes after work. I boldly ask Larry to help me. He always does. What husband doesn't want his wife in shape?

Why move more? These are just a few reasons but there are hundreds more and I'm sure you have your own. If you are one who is refusing to move more and need a little convincing today though, I hope this helped.